Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 2
Appliance Hacking: Converting
Existing Technology
There are three classical forms of hacking: software, hardware, and wetware (also known as
social engineering
).
More recently, firmware hacking has become prominent because low-cost hardware utilizing embedded Linux has
opened the door to software hackers unable to build hardware. It is hardware hacking, and its associated software,
that I will cover in this chapter.
Software Hacks
For most developers, software is an easier hack, because the chance of breaking something irrevocably is much
reduced compared to hacking hardware. In fact, when Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs were building machines at the
Homebrew Computer Club, they reasoned that for every one hacker who was interested in hardware, there were
100 who were keen on software, so they focused on the software capabilities of the Apple computer. A similar motif
was true when Acorn built the BBC A and BBC B in 1981 as they worked hard on the software to make it suitable for
learning in schools.
As history surely repeats, the Raspberry Pi used these ideals to provide a small machine where the software was
the easily hackable part. They even paid homage to the original Acorn machines by naming the first two iterations of
the Raspberry Pi Model A and B! Such has been the success of the Raspberry Pi that it has become difficult to ensure
supply can meet demand. Consequently, it is sometimes necessary to scour eBay to find old second hand equipment
to do the tasks better suited to the Raspberry Pi!
Linksys NSLU2
This old device, also known affectionately as “the Slug,” is a small, embedded Linux device intended to function as a
network addressable storage (NAS) device. You plug in power, a network cable, and (up to) two USB hard drives, and
you're able to retrieve the data stored on it from any machine on the same network subnet using the Samba protocol.
The machine itself is silent, powered by an Intel XScale IXP420, and incorporates 32MB of SDRAM and 8MB of
flash memory where the software is stored. Its low price point and openness of firmware makes it attractive to hackers
wanting to add or change the software on the machine. The machine was officially discontinued in 2008 but is still
available in various stores and online.
In its intended form, the Slug is a suitable machine when only a file server is needed, either to be a remote
backup for desktop work (perhaps located under the stairs or in a loft) or to provide music to media players around
the house. By changing its firmware, however, it can become the following:
u
Web server (Apache, PHP, Perl, and Python are all supported)
u
Mail server
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